The BJD on Sunday refuted the BJP’s claims that the State Government has hijacked the Biju Swasthya Kalyan Yojana from the Centre and termed the scheme as better than the Ayushman Bharat programme of the Union Government.
“There is no link between the Biju Swasthya Kalyan Yojana announced by the State Government and the Ayushman Bharat programme announced by the Union Government,” said BJD spokesperson and MP Pratap Deb at a Press conference here.
Drawing differences between the two schemes, Deb said that while the date of commencement of the Ayusman Bharat is yet to be announced, the Biju Swasthya Kalyan Yojana has been announced to come into effect from August 15, 2018.
While Ayusham is an insurance-based scheme, the Biju Swasthya Kayan is based on assurance and has been announced as per the election manifest of the BJD. While Biju Swasthya Kayan beneficiaries would be directly benefitted, the Ayushman beneficiaries to get direct benefits. The Union and the State Government will have share of 50:50 (in real terms) in the Ayushman scheme, Deb said.
The beneficiaries would be chosen on the basis of the Social Economic and Caste Census 2011. The NFSA beneficiaries’ list prepared on the SECC has remained problematic. If Ayushman beneficiaries are chosen of the basis of SECC, many people of Odisha would be deprived of the scheme.
The Union Government has announced to include 48 lakh families in the first phase and 61 lakh families in the second phase. It’s fruitfulness is being questioned while 70 lakh families would directly get benefits under the Biju Kalyan Swasthya Yojana, he said.
Deb further stated that people living in urban areas will face problems to get included in the Ayushman sceme as the Centre has set a condition to conduct another survey to choose urban people on professional basis.
Aadhaar Card would also stand on the way of deserving people to get included in the Ayusham Scheme as many people are to have such cards.
“The BJP’s claim that the State Government is hijacking Central schemes is baseless. The Union Government is announcing schemes keeping coming elections in view, but the State Government had designed the schemes in 2014 and announcing them as the 2014 election manifesto of the BJD,” observed Deb.
While there are so many differences between the two schemes, it is ridiculous on the BJP’s part to equate Ayushman with the Biju Swasthya Kalyan, he added.